It's catastrophic: Health reform removes regions' climate initiatives and access to EU-billion dollars.

Regions have brought home several EU-billion dollars for Danish climate projects in recent years, particularly helping small and medium-sized communes reach their climate goals. However, this work may now face a sudden halt.

The government's extensive healthcare reform and structural changes will reportedly eliminate all parts of the regions' climate budget, with no immediate plans to replace it with something else.

This news has sparked harsh criticism from various quarters. On Samsø, the situation is described as 'catastrophic'.

For a small commune with a limited economy, access to knowledge, new technology, and financing through collaboration with Region Midtjylland is crucial for achieving their extensive climate action plan, such as the project to recycle household waste, sewage sludge, and garden waste into new production - possibly in agriculture.

Jeppe Ustrup Hermann, program coordinator for green transformation, explains:

- We need to find a completely different way to work. It would be catastrophic. Our entire effort relies on collaboration with the region, and all our central projects are there, he says.

Currently, Samsø is working on a large project where the goal is to sort household waste, sewage sludge, and garden waste so they can be reused and contribute to a new production - possibly in agriculture.

- We aim to eliminate waste as a concept by 2030, and the region plays a central role in this, Hermann says.

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Fear of losing access to green support grants

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Since 2021, Region Midtjylland estimates that it, along with several other communes, has been granted around one billion Danish kroner in EU support.

Overall, regions have brought home nearly 2.5 billion Danish kroner from Brussels since 2014. Money used to accelerate the green transition at home.

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> This reduces the overall climate budget in Denmark at a time when it is clear that we need to do much more.

> Christian Ibsen, Concito

Lisa Gerschefski, climate chief at Region Midtjylland, fears that a significant amount of EU funds may now be at risk due to the requirement that projects be tied to regional work in EU member states.

- The money supports projects that help reduce our CO2 emissions and aligns with our political goals, Gerschefski says.

As an example of an EU-funded project, the climate chief mentions an attempt to climate-proof Gudenåen, which has been plagued by increasing rain and groundwater levels.

Here, the seven Jutland communes that the river runs through collaborated on developing a river model that can calculate various scenarios for interventions along Gudenåen and a warning system in case of extreme climate events such as storms and heavy rain.

- I'm concerned when the government now plans to abandon this task. After all, no one is pointing to who will lift it instead, Gerschefski says.

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A terrible idea: Concito's perspective

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The green think tank Concito is also surprised by the government's proposal.

- This reduces the overall climate budget in Denmark at a time when it is clear that we need to do much more. Funding is disappearing that would otherwise have gone to the green transition, Ibsen says.

In his view, regions have played a crucial role in accelerating the green transition in Denmark.

- We must remember that all Danish municipalities have ambitious councils that have adopted climate plans. And regions have played a crucial role in connecting the local green transition, Ibsen says.

Concito also fears that the lack of access to EU's support grants through climate projects could have 'a significant impact'.

Climate change will lead to more frequent and severe damage from storm surges. Regions have helped communes implement measures to prevent such damage in various ways. (Photo: © Linda Kastrup, Ritzau Scanpix)

In the Communes' Association, climate director Stine Johansen acknowledges that regions have played a role in the green transition but also reminds us that the work will continue, even if the government now plans to eliminate the effort.

- We have a good collaboration with the regions, which has focused on bringing EU funds home for local climate projects and providing advice in individual regions.

- But it all stands and falls, whether regions engage in development activities or not. There is a lot of work in progress locally and across communes that will continue regardless, Johansen says.

DR has submitted the criticism to the Interior and Health Ministry, which presented the healthcare reform. They have not been able to interview Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke (S), but he makes a written comment:

- Today, regions do not have legally binding responsibilities or authority for climate adaptation in Denmark. Responsibilities are shared between the state and municipalities, ensuring our society is prepared for the wilder weather and rising water levels.

- There are many examples of municipalities engaging in cross-border cooperation for projects like coastline protection, and we have a full focus in the government on continuing the climate adaptation effort and strengthening municipalities' ability to adapt to climate change further, Heunicke says.

DR is waiting for a response from the Business Ministry.

In the healthcare budget, the elimination of regions' work on climate inspections is expected to help finance some of the operating costs of a reform of the healthcare sector.

Negotiations on the government's healthcare reform are expected to begin soon. The government's ambition is to reach a deal on site within a few months.

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